Packaged articles are often provided with a thin film wrapper to protect the packaged article or to preserve its contents. Various systems have been devised to remove the film wrapper without resorting to tools and the like, such as providing a tear tape or tab. Such tape and tabs help the consumer to open the wrapper by pulling on the tab or tape causing the film to rupture and facilitate removal. Examples of packaged articles provided with such tapes and tabs include packaged consumer goods, packaged media such as compact discs and digital video discs, as well as various packaged food and beverages.
While tabs and tape may be suitable for removing film wrapper from certain packaged articles, they are not well suited for the removal of film is tightly wrapped around the package. Such tight wrapping is often associated with shrink wrap films. Thus the consumer often struggles to remove the wrapper and may find it necessary to use an additional instrument, such as a knife, a pair of scissors, or other sharp instrument, to remove all parts of the film wrapper. This is inconvenient not least because the consumer may not have a suitable additional instrument readily at hand. Furthermore, use of such instrument involves the risk of damaging the article.